Process of making gas.



No. 884,655. PATENTED APR. 15L. W08.

I A. M. GOW.

PROCESS OF MAKING GAS. APPLICATION FILED NOV.11, 190s. RENEWED SEPT.16, 1907.

INVENTOR:

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALEXANDER M. (W, 01* EDGEWOOJ) PARK, PENNSYLVANJA, ASSIUNOH, BY MESNE ASSIGN- MENTS, TO THE WlJS'llNljllOljSl) MACHINE t-( )M PA.\Y, A (.OltPORAllON OF PENNSYL- VAN IA.

Specification of Letters Patent.

PROCESS OF MAKING GAS.

Patented April 14, 1908.

Application filed November 11, 1903, Serial No. 180,662. Renewed September 16, 1507. Serial Not 393,11'1.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that .l, Ahnxiwonn M. (low, a citizen of tlfe United States, and resident ol Edgewood Park, county of Allegheny, h'tatc of Forms lvania, have invented certain new and useul Improvements in (his-Making Processes, of which the l'ollowing is a spccilication.

My invention consists of a i'iovv process for the conversion of coal into gas which gas (unsists of a mixture of gases derived from the hydrocarbons of the coal andwater gas derived from the coke resulting from the dis tillation of the hydrocarbons. ,l n thc operaj tidn of this process the production of water *gas is carriedon simultaneously with the production of distilled gas in the same producing chamber andJJhe gases mix immediately upon their formation. The process is an intermittent one and the fuel bed is alternately blown b a blast of air andsubjcctcd to the action 0% steam. LT he novelty of the process consists in the fact that in its operation the blast is a plied to a body of coke derived from the 'coa 1n the producing chamber by distillation, while the steam is applied to a body of fuel, adjacent to the body o1 coke, which is at a lower temperature than; the body 01 coke and, is undergoing the process of distillation.

The steam thus assists in the liberation of the hydrocarbons from the coai, and furthermore,

bysuperhcating the steam a large portion of the heat required for distillation may be carried into the producer by the steam. The Very heav hydrocarbons, which usually condense and form tar and heavy oils are cutirely broken up by this proeessand the gases resu ting from this breaking up form. largr-i ,and very important constituents of the gas 'mixture as withdrawn from the producer. This resultant gas is higher in calorilic value than Water gas for it contains a large percentage of distilled gas; it-is lower in-cnlorilic value than illuminating gas as made in retorts, for it contains a.large percent-ago ol Water gas at the same time it contains'a considerablc percentage of illuminant-s derived from the heavy hydrocarbon vapors ,Which ordinarily condense as tar.

The accompanyingdrawing is a vertical section of the apparatus, parts being shown in elevation for convenience of illustration. The gasprod'ucing chamber 1 has located near its bottom end a plunger, 2, operated in a made.

+1, operated in a cylinder, 5, by means 01' water, under pressure, delivered through a pipe, (3. A Your way valve, 7, delivers water to either endol the cylinder 5 as desired. A I'uel supply pipe, 8, connects into the cylinder 2, at a point above the plunger 2 when that plunger is in its lower position. A coal hopper, 9, is ilaced at the upper end of the pipe 8. A. PQitOJ, 10, having teeth, 11, 1.1, is so arrange-d that coal may be made to pass down the plpc 8 andinto the cylinder 3 when the plunger 2 is down. When the plunger 2 raised by the operation of the piston 4, the fuel above the plunger 2 is l'orced into a conical shaped piece, 13. The top of. the plunger 2 is convex so that the l'uol arches against the conical walls of the piece 1'3 and does not fall down. again when the plungeri is lowered. This method and apparatus l'or lending a gas producer are subjects of applications ,l'or Letters Patent already lilcdbyme. Surrounding the cylinder 3 is a casing, 13, in-

closing a space, 14, and through the conical shaped piece 12 are holes, 15, 15, connecting the space 14 with the gas producing chamber 1. A pipe, 16, supplies steam to the space, 1-1, the amount being controlled by a valve, 17. llncircling the producer are pi )cs, 18, 18, 18, connected to the'producing chamber bypipes, 19, 1E), 19, 19. li'pes 18, 18, 18 are connected to a pipe, .20, provided with a regulating valve, .21. Air under pressure is suppliedto the. pipe 20 by means of a blower, 22, driven by any suitable means.

Near the top oi producing chamber 1 is l(J('-2l-i(;(l. lgas oll'take, 23, connecting: into two pipes 24, and 25. The openings from the pipe 23 into pipes 24 and 25 are controlled by water cooled valves, 26- and 27, of ordinary construct-ion. The pipe' 24: con-- nccts to a regenerative chamber, 28, having located in it the checker bricks, 29, 29, 29, 2!). The. )ipo 25 connectsto-any suitable form of holder (not shown) for the storage of Above the choc-her brick andthe regenerative chamber 28 is located the steam boiler, 30, col'isisting of tubes, inclosed in a shell after the usual manner. The top of the boiler 30 connects to the feed, water water, 35. The pipe, 36, from the feed water heater 35 opens tothe atmosphere and controlled by a valve, 32. rom the steam space in the boiler 30 leads the steam pipe, 33, controlled by a valve, 34;. The steam pipe 33 discharges steam around 7 hotter than the fuel in the center of the bed.'

from boiler 30 aroun suppl ltahe checker brick in the regenerative chamer. provided from pipe 20 leading into pipe 24 to air to the bottom of regenerative cham or 28. Cleaning doors, 40, 40, 40, are provided near the bottom of producing chamber 1 for the removal of ash.

The operation is as follows: The roducing bustlon to carbonic acid, a large number of blast twyers are provided, the 'urpose being to heat the coke along the we. ls very much The hot products of combustion pass by means of pipe 23 through ipe 24 into the regenerative chamber 28. I hese products of combustion may still contain some combustible gases and to consume these the valve 39 1s opened and air admitted to the regenerative chamber 28.' They hot, completely consumed gases now pass through the checker brick 29, 29, giving up a portion of their sensible heat. steam boiler 30 where they give up more of their sensible'heat and raise steam. They then pass to the feed water heater 3e and by i e 36 are discharged into the atmosphere. en the fuel bed has been sufficiently heated, a charge of coal is forced into the roduciug chamber by means of plunger 2. llalves 21, 26, 32 and 39 are nowclosed and valve 27 is. opened. Valves 34 and 17 are opened and steam asses under pressure the checker brick 29,- 29, in regenerative chamber 28, through pipes 24 and 16 into the space 14 and through oes' 15, 15 into the fresh charge of fuel. The steam thus serves as a carrier-of heat from the re enerative chamber intothe fresh fuel. he steam, because of the position of the holes 15, permeates the mass of fuel. passing from the center outward and 1 upon coming in contact with the inoan'des cent coke. against the walls of the reducer is converted into. water gas. At t e same time it servesto liberate the hydrocarbonsin the fuel and the resultant vapors ass with the steam through the incandescent .coke and are broken up into fixed gases.

.j Ihe heat of the bod of coke su t 'jfresh charge of [us also serves to dist the hydrocarbons. The resultant gas, which 'is a mixture of water gas and distilled coal gas,

passes by way of pi cs 23 and 25 to a holder (not shown) or to t e plate where it is to be utilized. It is also evident that if it isde" sired to conserve the sensible heat of the A branch pipe, 38, with valve, 39, is

They then pass into the gas made it may be made to pass through any well known ap aratus to absorb its sensible heat and cooFit.

When the temperature of the fuel bed has been reduced below the point of economical Working steam is shut off by means of the valves 34 and 17. Valve 27 is closed. Blower 22 is started. Valves 21, 26, 32, and 39 are opened and the fuel blown to incandes? cence'again. The products of combustion ass, as before, through regenerative charm her 28, boiler 30, feed water heater 35 and to the atmosphere. When sufficient temperature has been attained in the fuel bed, these valves are closed and the producer is given a fresh charge of fuel by means of the plunger 2. The forcing upward of the fresh charge of fuel crowds out the superincunrbent mass of fuel against the walls of the producer. The previous charge of fuel, now

partially coked, is forced upward and the 1 comparatively cold interior portion of thefuel bed. But owing to the admission of steam into the'relatively cold interior pen tion of the fuel bed the rapidity of their lib eration is much greater during the period of steaming than during the period of blasting. Furthermore, b supplying an excess oi-air at a number 0 points around the exterior portion of the fuel bed, so as to insure as These successive operations of blastreat a production of carbonic acid as possiis and a minimum production of carbonic oxid, the length of the blast period is greatly reduced. It is desired to heat the exterior portion of the fuel bed to as high a tempera ture as possible in the shortest time possible in order that a relatively small ortion of the volatile constituents ofthe uel shall be distilled during the period of blasting. Because of their high thermal value and illuminatin properties it is very desirable that they sha l, to as great an extent as ossibie, pass into the volume of gas ma e. The shorter the blast period and the longer the steaming period, the eater the amount of these desirable distille gases which will pass to the holder. 1"

.It will be seen therefore that among the essential and novel features of this process are the maintenance of the exterior portion of a fuel body at .a relativelv high tempera ture; the maintenance of t e interior portion of the fuel bed at a'relatively lower tern perature and causing the volatile portion of noticeably darker in color than the sur-.

rounding portion against the walls. This dark center is the upper end of a column of fuel Whose lower end is fresh fuel and which is progressively coked from the bottom to the top. As fast the fuel in the exterior portion of the fuel bed is consumed its place is supplied by coke derived from the coking central column.

The thickness of the hot exterior portion Will depend on the strength of the blast to penetrate the fuel bed and the length of the period of blast. In practice the operator has no trouble in controlling'the relative temperatures so that all the carbon of the coal is consumed and nearly all thevolatile constituents are conserved to augment the volume of made, the loss of volatile eonstituents during the blasting period being 1 very small.

The foregoing description of the operation considers the manufacture of gas which, with the exception of a small percentage of carbonic. acid, is wholly combustible. Should it be (lcsirci-l to produce a gas in greater volume and of lower calorific value it is evident that producer gas can be made andniixed with the gases evolved during the period of steaming. This process and apparatus lends itself, therefore, to the production of any gradc'of gas desired from producer gas of low calorific value, containing a large percentage of incomlmstihle nitrogen to a gas of high calorific value containing no nitrogen and but a small percentage of incombustible carbonic acid.

I claim as my invention 4 1. The process of making gas wl'i'ich conin blowihg to incandescence the: exterior portion of a body of fuel gforci-ng fresh fuel into the interior of the body, utilizing the sensible lieat of the incandescent fuel in the destructive distillation of the fresh fuel, in-

troducing steam intothe interior portion of the body of fuel and causing it to pass, first .through the fresh fuel and then through the l't \,\'ill lm-understood that sists in successively blowing to incandescence the exterior portion of a body of fuel, utilizing the hot products of combustion so obtained for generating steam, forcing fresh fuel into the interior portion of the body of fuel, utilizing the sensible heat of the surrounding incandescent fuel in the destructive distillation of the fresh fuel, introducing steam into the interior portion of the body of fuel and causing it to pass first through the.

fresh fuel and then through the heated exterior portion of the fuel bed.

3. The process of making gas, which 'consists in successively blowing to incandescence the exterior portion of a bed of fuel and absorbing the sensible heat of the products of combustion so obtained in a regenerative chamber, forcing fresh fuel into the interior portion of the body of fuel, \lt-llfliilgTfihPTSQllsible heat of the'surrounding incai'idescent fuel in the destructive distillation of the fresh fuel, introducing superheated. steam into the interior portion of the fuel and cansing it to pass first through fresh fucland then through the heated exterior portion of the fuel bed.

4. The process of making gas which consists in maintaining a body of fuel at a higher temperature in its exterior portion than' in its interior portion by delivering to the ex tcrior ortion ablastof air and introducing fresh fuel and steam into the interior portion, utilizing the sensible heat of the exterior )ortion in the destructive distillation of the fresh fuel, causin the steam andthe volatile constituents 'of the fresh fuel to pass -from the relatively coldinterior portion of the fuel bed tl'irough the relatively hot exterior portion. I

5. The process of making gas, which consists in blowing air into a body 'offuel from a. plurality of oints located around it in order to heat the fiody of fuel at, its circumference only, forcing fuel into tie interior of the heated body of fuel, utilizing the sensible heat of the heated fuel in the destructiveidistiliation of the fresh. fuel causing steam to enter the body of fuel near the center thereof to pass through the fresh fuel and then through the heated fuel. 1

The process of making gas, which consists in maintaining a body of fuel ata higher temperature at its exterior portionthan at its interior, and causin steam to enter the in terior portion of the fuel bed and thento pass through the relativeiy hot exterior portion thereof.

, 7. 'lllGPI'OGBSS of making gas, which consists in successively blowing to meandescence the exterior portion of a body of fuel,.withdrawing from the hot products of combustion a portion of their sensible heat and discharging the same into the atmosphere, utilizing a portion of the heat of the products of combustion for producing steam, maintainladenecl fluid to enter the interior portion of the fuel bed and then to pass through the relatively hot exterior portion. a

9. The process of making as which consists in maintaining a body of 'uel at a higher temperature at its exterior portion than at its interior portion and causing a heat ladenecl but inert fluid to enter the interior of the fuel bed and then to pass through the said fuel bed and then to pass through the relativel hot exterior portion.

10. T 'e process of uni-hing gas which consists in maintaining a body of fuel at a higher temperature at its exterior portion than at its interior portion and causii'ig heat ladened fluid, which is incapable of supporting combustion, to enter the interior portion of relatively hot exterior portion.

11. The process of making gas which consists in blowing into incandescence the exterior portion of a body of fuel, forcing fresh fuel into the interior of said heated lmd'y, utilizing the sensible heat of the incamlescent fuel in the destructive distillation of the fresh fuel, and causing a heat ladened fluid, which is inert With reference to the fresh fuel, to enter the body of fuel near its center and to pass first throu h the fresh fuel and then through the incan escent fuel.

12. The process of making gas Which consists in successively blowin into incandescence the exterior portion of a body of fuel, forcing fresh fuel into the interior of the body of fuel, introducing a fluid incapable of supportin r con'ibustio'n into the interior portion of the .ody of fuel and causing it to pass outward through the heated exterior portion thereof.

13. The process of makin gas which cansists in blowin into incanr escence the eX terior portion 0 a body of fuel, absorbing the sensible heat of the combustion so obtained in aregenerative chamber, forcing fresh fuel into the interior portion of the body of fuel, introducing a heat ladenecl fluid, which is incapable of supporting combustion, into the interior portionof the fuel and causing it to past, first through the fresh fuel and then throughthe exterior or heated portion.

Signed at Pittsburg, in the county of Alleghcny, and State of Pennsylvania, this 9th day of November, A. l). 1903.

Vl 'itncsses:

WESLEY G. (lane, BIRNEY l-lmns.

ALEXANDER M. GOVV. 

